Water seal for roof construction



Nov. 14, 1967 a. H. SLUSSER 3,352,077

WATER SEAL 'FOR ROOF CONSTRUCTION- Filed April 12, 1966 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN H. SLUSSER fia-mxg ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,352,077 WATER SEAL FOR ROOF CONSTRUCTION Benjamin 1. Slusser, West Hollywood, Fla., assignor to Hurr-I-Cane Awning Shutter Co., Inc., Hialeah, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed Apr. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 542,019 3 Claims. (Cl. 52469) This invention relates to a roof construction wherein a plurality of I-beams extend across the roof and wherein metallic pan elements having upstanding ends and inwardly directed gutter forming means are fitted into channels of the I-beams, to prevent the passage of water that would normally shift downwardly to enter the building.

The invention contemplates sheet metal or molded I- beams that are supported upon beams of the roof and with the I-beams having a central upstanding web portion, oppositely extending channel forming portions and with the lower end of the web portion being of channel form and with shaped pans, having upstanding end portions that normally lie against the web portions of the panels and with the pan portions at their upper ends being provided with gutters that have fitment into the upper channels and with the pans extending across the top of the roof structure and engaging spaced apart I-beams, to prevent the entry of water to the building and with the gutter portions, receiving water that is blown against the panels to drain outwardly from the gutters at predetermined points in their end portions.

The invention contemplates basically sheet metal roofing structures, embodying the I-beams and the relatively thin pans and with the pans bent upwardly along the web portion of the I-beams and then outwardly to form a gutter and with the pans resting upon a lower portion of the I-beams and spanning a roofing area between the I-beams so that leakage from wind driven rain may be adequately disposed of through the gutters and also, so that the Water cannot run down the webs of the I-beams and into the building proper also, the I-beam-s have a lower or bottom portion the marginal edges of which are upstanding, constituting rests for the pans and also, constituting lower gutters in the event that water bypasses the upper gutters and runs downwardly along the faces of the web portion of the I-beams.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a roof structure, illustrating the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the elements illustrated in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a roof structure having beams 5, shown in dotted lines supports cross members of generally I-beam shape, indicated as a whole by the numeral 6. The I-beams 6 are spaced apart in any desirable manner and rest upon the beams 5. The beams 6 include a vertically arranged web portion 7, having a base 8 and a head 9. The base 8 extends outwardly from the web 7 and is provided with upstanding ribs 4 on either side of the web 7. The head 9 is flanged upon opposite sides as indicated at 10 and the flanges 10 as indicated at 11 are bent downwardly and then inwardly, as indicated at 12, to form a longitudinal channel 13. This is typical construction for each of the beams 6 and of course the beams are installed across the roof, to rest upon the roofing beams 5.

Adapted to have overlying engagement with the ad jacent ribs 4, of a pair of I-beams 6, is a sheet metal pan 14, having its marginal edges bent upwardly to form ends 15 that are shaped to engage adjacent walls of the web 7 in relatively snug engagement. The walls 15 extend upwardly and then outwardly to form a gutter 16, that I is forcibly engaged with the channels 13 and so that the entire assembly of the pan, its ends 15 and the gutter 16 fit relatively close into the channels 13, forming a positive seal against water flowing from the pans 14 and upwardly and any water driven upwardly on the vertical walls 15 must pass beneath the bottoms of the gutters 16 and, since the gutters 16 are inclined in accordance with the beams 6, the water will flow to a discharge end of the gutters. Any water that may be passed the gutters 16 will seep downwardly between the walls 15 and the web 7 and be collected in the channel of the base member 8, where it will also be drained away.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 4, pans 17 have upstanding walls 18 that are bent outwardly at their upper ends to form gutters 19. The walls 18 are adapted to have contacting engagement and the gutters are then clamped together by a cleat 20, the ends of which are rounded at 21 and with the terminal portion 22, engaging beneath the gutters 19. In the use of this form of the device, the pans are shaped to form a receptacle, having upstanding edges or walls 18 and then the pans are assembled upon the roof structure with the walls in engagement and then fixedly clamped together by the cleat 20. Any water draining upwardly by forceful winds will obviously be caught within the gutters 19 and disposed of at the opposite ends of the gutters. The operation of the first form of the device Will be entirely apparent.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel roof structure has been provided, that may be installed upon a roof and to form drainage means for any water that may be driven upwardly to fall within the gutters.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A roof construction that comprises a plurality of spaced apart I-beams that are supported upon a roof structure and with the I-beams having a web portion, a head portion and a base portion and with the base portion having oppositely extending flanges that are extended upwardly at their marginal edges to form drainage channels,

the head portion extending outwardly in opposite directions and being flanged and bent upon itself to form downwardly opening channels, a roof panel of sheet aluminum that is resting upon the flanges of the base and with the edge of the panel being bent at right angle to extend upwardly along the side of the web and then outwardly for fitment into the channels of the head portion and with the panel at its upper end being recessed to form gutters, the roof panel extending from beam to beam and with the gutters having relatively close fitment into the channels of the head portion of the beam.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the roof panel rests upon the base of the I-beam and with its upwardly extending portion being parallel and in engagement with the web portions of the beam, the gutter formed upon the top of the roof panel adapted to receive any water that is driven upwardly upon the outer side of the vertical portion of the roof panel and that falls within the gutter of the roof panel, the water adapted to be drained toward one or both ends of the gutter, the base of the I-beams supporting the roof panel in spaced relation to the base of the I-beam and so that any Water that may pass over and beyond the gutter will drain downwardly into the channels of the base of the I-beam.

3. A roof construction of the character described wherein flat aluminum panels are positioned over a roof area and with the panels bent at a right angle upwardly and then outwardly and with the upwardly bent portion having contacting engagement with an adjacent panel, said outwardly bent portions of the panels are provided References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,317 8/1880 HCSS 52466 453,470 6/1891 Geiger 52-461 10 3,149,436 9/1964 Varlonga 52460 JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. 

3. A ROOF CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED WHEREIN FLAT ALUMINUM PANELS ARE POSITIONED OVER A ROOF AREA AND WITH THE PANELS BENT AT A RIGHT ANGLE UPWARDLY AND THEN OUTWARDLY AND WITH THE UPWARDLY BENT PORTION HAVING CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT WITH AN ADJACENT PANEL, SAID OUTWARDLY BENT PORTIONS OF THE PANELS ARE PROVIDED WITH THE RECESSES FORMING GUTTERS THE MARGINAL EDGES OF THE ROOF PANEL HELD CLOSELY TOGETHER BY A METAL CHANNEL CLEAT THAT HAS A CLOSE FITMENT OVER THE TERMINAL EDGES OF THE ROOF PANEL AND ENCLOSING SAID GUTTERS. 